If there’s one thing we’re all thankful for this year, it’s that 2020 is almost over. That end can’t come fast enough as this has got to be one of the worst 12 months on record.

All of us have years that try our limits, whether it’s financial hardships, the death of loved ones or plans that didn’t go the way we wanted.

But 2020 was not only the sour apple pie of bad years, it had a bunch of rotten cherries on top.

I read a suggestion that instead of giving thanks, we should list what we’re grateful for this year. Many people keep a gratitude journal or they post what they’re thankful for, and that practice keeps them in a consistent thankful and serene state of mind.

There are quite a few things I’m grateful for this year – we had some Covid cases in our family, but none were serious. There were financial setbacks, and those remain tough, but we’re getting through those.

Our family is still strong, our mom is maintaining her independence and sense of humor and there’s a roof over our heads.

I’m always grateful for health, friends, family and faith. But because this is 2020, here are some of the little things I’m not only thankful for but also grateful for.

The ice maker in our refrigerator. I didn’t realize how much I relied on sticking a glass underneath the in-the-door dispenser and instantly enjoying a glass of ice water and crushed ice. That is until the ice maker broke.

I remember filling those old silver ice-cube trays with water – and the frustration when someone uses the last few cubes but doesn’t refill the tray.

Going to the movies. I took for granted that any day of the week, we could take in the latest Hollywood blockbuster at the local cinema, snack on a bucket of hot, buttered popcorn and enter a magical world 30 feet high.

I took for granted the thousands of artists and technicians who worked behind the scenes to create alien worlds and people so we could go beyond our wild imaginations, whether that’s behind the walls of Hogwarts Academy or on the bridge of a star cruiser in a galaxy far, far away.

The library and the printed word. The libraries here have been closed during the pandemic, and I am beyond sad. I took for granted leisure time walking between the shelves at the library, pulling out books that looked interesting and taking home the ones I wanted to spend hours reading.

Sure book stores are still open, but it’s not the same experience as in the library. Browsing in a store doesn’t come close to the quiet of the library building, the smell of those old books and the knowledge that if I don’t like the book, I can return it without having lost any money.

I miss taking my grandchildren to the library for Story Time and seeing the amazed looks on their faces as the librarian enchants them with a story. I’ve been checking books out online and having the librarian bring them to my car, but that’s not the same experience.

And since this is a time for giving thanks, the next time you have non-contact delivery of a library book, consider leaving a bag of chips for the librarian who’s getting your books, checking them out for you and then walking out to your vehicle – no matter the weather – so you can continue to enjoy the printed word.

People. Sure they can be rude. Sure they can be obnoxious. And, yes, they can be overwhelming. But people are the ones who give the best hugs. They’re the ones who, when they smile, light up your life.

They’re the ones who hold your hand when you’re scared, chat with you while you’re waiting in line and remind you that we come in all shapes and sizes and our individuality is what makes us who we are.

And when they’re no longer with us, the missing seems like a bottomless pit. And that’s when we have to remember to celebrate the here and now, not the what we lost, even in the midst of a changed reality.

I’m grateful that 2020 made me remember what’s really important in life. Perhaps 2020 wasn’t as bad a year as I thought.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.